Assessment of conductive textile-based electrocardiogram measurement for the development of a lonely death prevention system

The rise in individuals living alone in ageing societies raises concerns about social isolation and associated health risks, notably lonely deaths among the elderly. Traditional electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring systems, reliant on intrusive and potentially irritating electrodes, pose practical challenges. This study examines the efficacy of conductive textile electrodes (CTEs) vis-á-vis conventional electrodes (CEs) in ECG monitoring, along with the effect of electrode positioning. Twenty subjects without cardiovascular conditions, were monitored using a commercial ECG device (HiCardi+) with both CEs and CTEs. The CTEs were tested in two experiments: at the nape and left hand (position 1), and at the nape and legs (position 2). Each experiment placed one HiCardi + SmartPatch with CE at its standard position, while the other used CTEs. ECG signals were processed using the Pan-Tompkins algorithm, and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics were analysed. Significant improvements in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were observed after filtering. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in time-domain HRV metrics between CEs and CTEs, though CTEs showed superior R peak characteristics and reduced noise sensitivity. Additionally, no significant position effect (p > 0.05) was noted within the CTE group. Nonlinear analysis further confirmed the efficacy of the CTEs. Our findings suggest that CTEs offer a comfortable, non-intrusive alternative to conventional ECG electrodes, enhancing ECG monitoring and contributing to the development of a "lonely death prevention system".